Dress-form.



C. A. UFFORD.

DRESS FORM.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 28. 1912. RENEWED 00126. I917. BT 9? Patented May28,1918.

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ZQi 060 o C. A. UFFORD.

DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1912- RENEWED OCT. 26. I917.

Patented May 28,1918.

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orr e CHARLES A. urronn, or :eos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS.

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Application filed June 28, 1912 Serial No. 706,344. Renewed October Toall whom it may concern.-

vide a dress form with novel means for expanding and contracting theWaist line without changing the contour of the form at other portionsand also to provide a novel scribed and then fastening the skirt tothebody portion of means for adjusting the size of the form at the hips andfor connecting the skirt section of the form to the bust portionthereof, all as will be more fully hereinafter depointed out in the appended claims. j

Referring to the drawings wherein I have shown a selected embodiment ofmy invention which is sufficient to show the prin ciple thereof, Figure1 is a front elevation of a dress form embodying the invention; Fig. 2is an enlarged section on the line a2,'Fig.-1;

Fig.3 is a detail view'of the means for the form;

Fig. 4c is an enlarged vertical central section through the body portionof the form;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the body J portion of the form;

at-w, Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the skirt portion of the form;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line The form herein showncomprises a body sectiondesignated generally by 1 and a skirt sectiondesignated generally by 2. The body section is divided into separatesections, as usual in dress forms of this character, and these sectionscan be adjusted relative to each other to give the form the requiredsize, shape or contour. The form is supported by a stand 3 of usualconstruction which is provided with a central supporting memberextending up through the form. In the present embodiment of my inventionthis central supporting member comprises a rod 4 which sets at its lowerend into the upper end of the stand 3, as shown in Fig. 1, and isSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

26, 1917. Serial No. 138,737.

clamped therein by a clamping screw 5, av central tubular member 6 whichtelescopes over the upper end ofthe rod 4, and an upper member 7, thelower end of which is inserted into the tubular member 6 and whichextends up through the end of the form, the members l and 7 beingadjustably secured to the central tubular member 6 by the set-screws 8'and 9, respectively.

The body of the form is divided vertically in a plurality of places asshown by the division lines 24, and the various sections of the form areadjustably secured together by means of slotted members 20 that aresecured to certain sections and clamping screws 21 that are secured toother sections and which pass through the slots of the members 20, eachclamping screw having a clamping nut 22 thereon. This method of holdingdress form sections in adjustable position relative toeach otheris wellknown and forms no part of the present invention.

In my present invention I propose to interpose springs 23 between theclamping nuts 22 and thejslotted members 20, which springs make ayielding frictional connection which develops suflicient friction forholding the parts in adjusted position under ordinary circumstances, butwhich will give. when sufli-cientpressure is applied so that thesections may be adjusted without the necessity of loosening the nuts 22.

The manner of adjusting the neck sec. tions 201 herein shown is similarto that describedand claimed in my copending ap plication, Se. No.641,787, filed August 1, 1911, andhence no further description thereofis necessary herein.

As stated above theform is divided vertically at several places, asshown at 24c in Fig. 1, and each of'the divisions thus formed f isjointed at the waist section so that the form can be expandedorcontracted at the waist by bending the joints without. the

necessity of adjusting the form in any other part. I secure this jointedeffect herein by dividing each section at the waist line, as shown at25, and then by connecting the portions above and below the divisionline 25 by a hinge member 26. I will preferably use a hingemember suchas shown in Fig.4: which is rigidly secured to one portion of a sectionand is adjustably secured to the other portion thereof. As herein shownthe upper end of the hinge member 26 is slotted end. As herein shown Iemploy an inflatable chamber 30 which surrounds the central; supportingmember at the waist line and is capable of being inflated, and I alsoemploy means for preventing expansion of said; inflatable chamber in averticalv direction; whereby when it isinflated, expansion musttakeplace laterally. For inflating the chamber 3 0,1 haveprovided meansoperable from the exterior of the form, and. in the present, embodimentthis means is in the nature of a pump which is confined within thecentral supportingv member. It will be noted that the member 7 is hollowand the interiorthereof constitutes a pump cylinder in which. operates apump piston 31 connected to a stem 32 that extends upthrough theupper-end of the member 7 and is provided with ahandle 33 at itsupperend. The interior of the member? below the pis- 1 ten 31 is: connectedto the inflatable chamher. 30 by a pipe 34. 35 designates a check valvecontrolling an inlet. to the chamber and another check valve (not,shown) will be employed in 'the connection 36. With this constructionthe operating of'the pump pistonBl will inflate the chamber 30, as. willbe evident. This inflatable chamber 81 also has connected theretoanother discharge pipe 37 which is shown as. leading out throughthe armseye and is provided with a cap 38 by which it may be closed. I

Th c tubularmember 6 is shownas having two flanges 39 sustained thereby,one on each side ofjth e' inflatable chamber 30, said flanges."operating to prevent the expansion of said ehamben vertically when it isinflated. These collars are adjustable on the member 6 and may be heldin adjusted position by. set-screws 40. v

vIf it isv desired to expandthe waist line into the dotted lineposition, Fig. 4, it .is simply. necessary to operate the pump and thusinflate thezehamber 30. If, on the other hand, it is desiredto reducethe waist line measurement the cap 38 can be removed to allowthechamber. 80 to become more or less deflated. I Y I For(adjustingthesectijons at the, hip I have provided the following mechanism:

The rod 4 carriesa four-armed member 41, the arms of which are slotted,as at 42. 7

Each of the slotted arms carries a plate 43 preferably of sheet metal,said plate being adjustable longitudinally of the slot 42 and held inadjusted position by the clamping screws 44. Each plate 43 is providedwith the two slots 45 which extend substantially parallel to the outeredge of the plate, or substantially parallel to the sides of the form.Each of the form sections has a projection 46 extending inwardlytherefrom and carrying an adjusting screw 47 which plays in one of theslots. 45. The form herein shown is divided vertically in eight placesto constitute eight sections at the hip, and two hip sections areadjustably secured to each of the plates 43. The slots 45 are somewhatwider than the diameter of. the clamping screws 47 and these slotstherefore allow of a slight radial adjustment ofeach hip section as wellas an adjustment of the hip sections toward and from each other. Theadjustment toward and from each other is necessary for expanding thesize of the form at the hips and the radial adjustment due to thediiference between the width of the slot 5 and the diameter of theclamping bolt 447 permits sufficient movement to allow the hip sectionsto be brought into line with each other. The slots 42 are also necessaryfor providing for an expanding or contracting movement of the hip.

The skirt portion 2 is also divided into sections corresponding innumber to the hip sections, and these several sections are detachablysecuredto the hip sections. As herein shown each hip section 66 isprovided with aheaded stud 47.0 and each skirt section 48 is provided inits upper; end with anopening to receive the head of the stud 470 and isalso-provided with a swinging keeper 49 pivoted at 50 and having a notch51.that is adapted to pass over the shank of the stud 47 0 behind thehead thereof thereby to lock the skirt section to the form. Each keeper49 extends abovethe top bar 52 of the skirt section so as to overlap thehip section 66, and this extending part is provided with an aperture 53into which a nail or pin may be driven, said pin entering the hip,sections 42 and locking the keeper in place, as shown in Fig. 2. It willbe understood, of course, that the hip section 66 is made of papier maehor some other easilypenetrable material. The means provided for holdingthe lower ends of the skirt sections in their adjusted position relativeto each other is shown best in Fig. (i. The central standard 3 sustainsa frame 55 provided with a plurality of radially-extending inembersj 56.On each member 56 is slidably mounted a'runner 57 having a screwthreaded shank 58 which carries a clamping nut 59. Each of. the skirtsections 48 has pivotally connected thereto one end ofa link 600, saidlinks being arranged in pairs, and

the other ends of the links of each pair having an aperture throughWhich the shank 58 passes. These pairs of links 600 are arranged asshown in Fig. 6, and by sliding the runners 57 radially on the bars 56,the

dress form can be expanded or contracted. When the desired size issecured, this may be maintained by tightening up the clamping nuts 59.It Will be noted that each pair of links 600 is connected to thecorresponding skirt sections adjacentthe opposite edges thereof and theadjacent edges of each pair of skirt sections are connected by the hingelinks 54.

While I have illustrated herein a preferred embodiment of my invention,I do not Wish to be limited to the constructional details 'shoWn.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dress form, the combination With abody portion divided horizontally across the Waist and dividedvertically in a plurality of places, of hinge members connecting thesections above and below the Waist line division, a central supportingmember extending up through the body portion, and pneumatic meanssustained on said supporting member Within the form at the Waist linefor expanding the latter.

2. I11 a dress form, the combination with a body portion dividedvertically in a plurality of places, the separate sections being jointedat the Waist line of acentral sup' porting member extending up throughthe body portion, and an inflatable chamber sustained by said supportingmember on the interior of the form at the waist line whereby the Waistof the form may be expanded or contracted independently of otherportions of the form.

3. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion dividedvertically in a plurality of places, the separate sections beingjointed, of a central supporting member extending up through the bodyportion, an inflatable chamber sustained by said sup porting memberWithin the form opposite the joints of the sections, and means toinflate said chamber thereby to expand said form.

a. In a dress form, the combination With a body portion divided intosections and expansible at the waist line, of a central supportingmember, an inflatable chamber situated on the interior of the form atthe Waist line, and means for inflating said chamber sustained by saidsupporting member.

5. In a dress form, the combination With a body portion divided intosections and expansible at the Waist line, of a holloW centralsupporting member, an inflatable chamber situated on the interior of theform at the waist line, and means Within the supporting member forinflating said chamber.

6. Ina dress form, the combination with a body portion divided intosections and ex pansible at the Waist line, of a central supportingmember, an inflatable chamber situated on the interior of the form atthe Waist line, said supporting member having a chamber constituting apump. cylinder connected to the inflatable chamber, and a pump piston insaid piston chamber operable from the exterior of the form and byHilllCl the inflatable chamber may be inat'e 7. In a dress form, thecombination With a body portion made adjustable relative to each otherto vary the Waist line measure, of an inflatable chamber situated Withinsaid form at the Waist line, means to inflate said chamber, and meansseparate from the sections to prevent the chamber from expandingvertically When it is inflated.

8. In a dress form, the combination With a body portion divided intosections and ex pansible at the waist line, of a central sup portingmember provided With tWo sepain. separable sections a rated flangessituated Within the body portion at the Waist thereof, an inflatableOllitlfl ber situated between said flanges, and means to inflate saidchamber.

9. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion dividedvertically at the hip in a plurality of places, of a central supportingmember, a plurality of plates sustained thereby and adjustable in radialdirections, each plate having slots extending substantially parallel tothe sides of the form, projections extending laterally of the dress formsections and having clamping screWs which enter said slots and areadjustable both longitudinally and laterally therein.

10. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion dividedvertically at the hips in a plurality of places, of a central sup:porting member, a plurality of plates sustained thereby and adjustablein radial directions, and means for adjustably. connecting the formsections to the plates to permit of an independent radial and lateraladjustment of each form section relative to the plate to Which it issecured.

11. In a dress form, the combination with a skirt portion, made inseparable sections arranged in pairs, of adjustable means connecting thesections of each pair, a link hinged to each section, the links of eachpair of sections being pivotally connected together, a frame havingradial arms, one for each pair of links, and means to adjustably connecteach pair of links to an arm.

12. In a dress form, the combination With a skirt portion, made inseparable sections arranged in pairs, of meansv adjustably connectingthe adjacent edges of the sections of each pair, links hinged to saidsections, the

links of each pair- 0f sections being pivotally connected together, anda frame to. which the pairs of links are adj ust-ably secured.

13; Ina dressform, the coinbinationwith a sectional skirt portion, ofalink'pivotally connectedto eachv skirt section, a frame having radialarms, runners slida-bly mounted in; a) plurality of: places, of acentral. sup-- porting member, a plurality of plates'sus tained tlierebyand adjustable in radial directions, each plate having slots extendingsubstantially parallel to the sides of the form, projections extendinglaterally from the dress foiun'sections' and clamping screws carried bysaid projections and'operating'in said slots.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES A. UFFORD.

Witnesses:

LOUIS C. SMITH, THOMAS J ..DRUMMOND.

Copies of this-patent mayibeobtainedlfor five; cents eaclnby addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

, V Washington, D. G.

